KOCHI: The Thrissur District Collector has issued an Orange alert for people living near the Chalakkudy river as the water level in Kerala Sholayar Dam crossed 2,660 feet by 11 pm on September 13.
Kerala Sholayar Dam is part of the Kerala Sholayar hydro-electric project.
The first alert, yellow alert, was issued when the water level in the dam had reached 2,658 ft.
According to officials, the Kerala Sholayar Dam had water up to 95.10 per cent of the dam’s carrying capacity till 7 am on September 14.
“This is 2,660.20 feet and hence people living on the banks of Chalakkudy river should remain alert,” the official pointed out.
“The reason for the water level to go up is that 500 cusecs water is flowing to Kerala Sholayar Dam from Tamil Nadu Sholayar Power House Dam. There is not much rain in the catchment area of Kerala Sholayar Dam.
However, if the current flow continues, the water level in the Kerala Sholayar Dam will reach the full reservoir level of 2,663 ft soon,” said the official.
The official said that authorities will be forced to open Kerala Sholayar Dam when the water level reaches 2,663 ft and the water will find its way to Peringalkuthu dam and Chalakkudy river.
“The water level of Peringalkuthu dam at 8 am on September 14 is 419.90 metre,” said the official.
Meanwhile, Chalakkudy River Protection Council secretary S.P. Ravi said that the authorities have been turning a deaf ear to their pleas of maintaining the water level in Peringalkuthu Dam at 50 per cent of its capacity and at Kerala Sholayar Dam level at 80 per cent of its capacity.
“The south-west monsoon is not yet over and there are predictions of rains happening after September 18. The full reservoir level of Peringalkuthu dam is 424 metre. The north-east monsoon is also near. If heavy rains happen in the coming phases, the current dam water levels will lead to flooding in Chalakkudy river,” said Ravi.
He said that by Saturday evening the water level in the dams would have gone up by one feet.
